Closure for the water-tanks of radiators



1. o. HARRIS. CLOSURE FOR THE WATER TANKS OF RADIATORS. APPLICATION FILED AUG-21 1920.

1,363,251 Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH D. HARRIS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 MCOORD MANUFACTUR- ING- COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CLOSURE FOR THE WATER-TANKS OF RADIATORS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

Application filed August 2, 1920. serial No. 400,636.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH D. HARRIS, a citizenof the United States, residin at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and tate of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Closures for the Water-Tanks of Radiators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the.

same.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved closure for the water tank of radiators, whereby the filler cap cannot be lost; and, to this end, my invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like notations and the loose portions of the-anchoring con-'- nections when the filler neck is open, with the cap turned to one side.

The numerals 4, 5 and 6 represent, respectively, the core, the main frame, and the upper Water tank of an, ordinary automobile radiator, which may be of any suitable construction.

The numeral 7 represents the filler neck casting of my improved closure, the neckof which is shown asvof elliptical form, or of greater length than it has breadth, and which casting 7 is adapted to be secured to the crown of the tank 6 in the usual or any suitable way. The numeral 8 represents the cap casting of the same general contour at its lower margin as the mouth of the filler neck and suitably flanged to engage with the top and inner surfaces of the said neck with 1 its horizontal fiange'resting on the end of the neck, This filler cap casting 8 is preferably provlded with a gasket 9, for use between the horizontal parts of the neck and the cap, when in their closed position, thereby insuring a tight joint, when the cap is clamped to the neck. At its crown, the cap 8 is provided with a central perforation or passage 10 for a retaining screw 11, the screw-threaded portion of which is engaged by a hand nut 12. This screw 11 has an eye head 11*, at its lower end, of such size that the said head will not pass through the perforation or passage 10, at the crown of the 'cap 8. The hand nut 12 is recessed, as shown at 13, and the upper end of the retaining screw-11 is provided'with a limiting stop, shown as in the form of a cotter 14;, which works in the recess 13, and thereby limits the travel of the nut or screw, with respect to each other, andfurther serves, as will presently appear, to prevent the separation of the cap and the anchoring connections.

In the filler neck, I provide a suitable anchor foot 15, shown as in the form of a nutted bolt seated in the vertical flanges of the filler neck casting 7 and removably secured thereto by its nut. The numeral 16 represents a link which loosely engages the anchor foot 15 and the eye head ll of the retaining screw 11.

The parts of the closure being of the structure and related as above described, it is obvious that, when the cap casting 8 is placed on top of the filler neck casting 7 it may be clamped down tight against the latter by the turning of the hand nut 12 in the proper direction on the retaining screw 11. The retaining screw 11 being anchored by the link 16 to the anchor foot 15, it follows that the hand nut 12, when turned in the proper direction, will travel lengthwise of the screw 11 and react against the top of the cap casting 8, and thereby tightly clamp the same to the filler neck casting 7.

necessary to turn the hand nut 12 in the 0ppositc or loosening direction, whereupon the anchoring connections will become loosened up and the cap casting 8, together with the loosened parts of the anchoring connections, can be turned entirely to one side of the filler neck casting 7, as shown bv the dotted lines in Fig. 3 of the drawing. hen in this position, the mouth of the filler neck casting 7 will be exposed all that it is needed and almost as fully as when the old type of closure with the ordinary screw cap is employed. Nevertheless, the cap casting and all of the loose parts remain permanently anchored to the anchor foot 15 and through the same to the filler neck casting 7. In other words, while the anchoring connections become loose enough to permit the cap casting 8 to be turned toone side of the filler casting 7, asshown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the stop cotter 14, working in the recess 13 of the hand nut 12, prevents the separation of these parts and keeps them all in their anchored position. Hence, there is no possibility of the filler cap becoming lost. On the other hand, if repairs should be desirable or any other reason for the removal should occur,

the nutted bolt 15, constituting the anchor foot, as shown, can be readily removed, whereupon the cap casting 8 and the portions of the anchoring devices carried thereby can be removed together from the filler neck casting 7. Then, if it be desired to further separate these elements, the stop cotter 14 can be removed from the retaining screw 11 and the latter be pulled out downward from the nut 12 and the casting 8.

The utility of my improved closure must be obvious. Everybody, familiar with the usage of automobiles, well'knows how common it is to lose the cap of the old type of filler neck, because, when separated from the neck casting, it is so liable to be misplaced or shaken off while the tank is being tilled It is, of course, obvious that no such loss can occur in the usage of my improved closure, while, at the same time, it is just as convenient to handle as the old type of closure with the iosahle cap. Moreover, the

structure is simple and the increase of cost, as compared with the old type, is so slight to he an almost negligible factor.

It will, of course, he understood that details may be varied, without departure train the spirit of the invention. The anchoring connections must be such that the cap cast ing 8 can be forced down tightly onto the mouth of the filler neck casting 7, when the parts are in their closed position, and that they can be made loose enough, in respect to the anchor foot 15, to permit the cap and the loose parts of the anchor connections to he turned to one side of the filler neck casting 7. Within these limits, the details may vary widely from those illustrated. F or example, the limiting stop on the retaining screw 11 might take any other suitable form. The anchor foot 15, instead of being in the form of a nutted bolt, as illustrated, might take any other suitable form, as long as a slip connection was afiorded for the link 16; and, instead of the link 16, any other equivalent connection could be employed between the retaining screw 11 and the anchor foot 15.

The practicability and commercial value of my improved closure has been demonstrated by extensive commercial use thereof.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a radiator water tank having a filling opening, of a filler neck secured to said tank about said opening, a cap for closing the upper end of said neck, a clamp member exterior of the cap and adapted when tightened against the cap to force the cap against the neck and clamp the cap in closed position on said neck, and means extending through the cap and connecting the clamp member with said neck in a manner permittin the cap when unclamped to be raised of? of the neck and be moved to one side thereof to clear the same while the cap still retains its connection with said neck. e

2. The combination with a radiator water tank having a filling opening, of a filler neck secured to said tank about said opening, a cap for closing the upper end of said neck, a non-rotatable member extending loosely through the top of said cap a clamp member exterior of the cap and connected with said non-rotatable member in a manner permitting the clamp member to clamp the cap in closed position on said neck, and means connecting said non-rotatable member with said neck in a manner permitting the cap when unclamped to be raised oil the neck and be moved to one side thereof to clear the same while the non-rotatable member still retains its connection with said neck.

3. The combination with a radiator water tank having a filling opening, of a filler neck secured to said tank about said opening, neck, a screw-threaded member extending loosely through the top of said cap, a clamp nut on said member exterior et' said cap ct'or clamping the cap in closed; position on said neck, and means including a link for holding said member against rotation and loosely cennectingthe same with said neck whereby the cap when unclamped may be raised cit the neck and be moved to one side thereof to clear the same while said member L still retains its connection with said neck.

a. The combination with a radiator water tank having afilling opening, of a filler neck secured to said tank about said opening, a cap tor closing the upper end 0? said a cap for closing the upper end of said i neck, a scrmv-threaded member extending loosely through the top of said cap, a clamp nut on said member exterior of said cap for clamping the Gap in closed position on said neck, :1 stop member on said screw member to prevent the clamp nut from being unscrewed therefrom, an anchor bolt fixed to said neck and extending across the inside thereof, and a link loosely connecting said screw member with said anchor bolt.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature this 30th day of June, 1920.

JOSEPH D. HARRIS. 

